Clamping and locking device



Oct. 24, 1933. c E. RADER Er AL 1,931,939

CIIAMPING AND LOCKING DEVICE Filed March 18, 1932 INV N TOR. C/m/o/c 15 HQ 6/ and [ME/7 6? l 45 7/65 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CLAMPING AND LOOKING DEVICE Claude E. Rader and Walter L. Stiles, Los

. Angeles, Calif.

Application March 18,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined clamping and locking device which is adapted to draw the edge portions of plates into close proximity to each other and then to desirably secure them to- 5 gether in such a relation to each other. I I

While the invention may be used in conjunction with a great variety'of plate shaped objects, yet it is'more particularly designed and intended to be used for securing together the panels which support stage scenery whether these panels are placed horizontally or in a more or less upright position.

Heretofore a great deal of difficulty has been encountered in quickly and conveniently assembling the panels which support stage scenery in the proper relation to each other and then in securely fastening them together in such a manner that they may readily be detached from each other. At present clamps are frequently used to hold the panels in the proper relation to each other preparatory to securing them together.

By thisinvention a combined clamping device and securing device is provided whereby when the edge portion of the panels have been brought adjacent to each other, these panels may be drawn snugly together in an edgewise manner by the device which may be operated on in such a manner as to detachably lock the panels together. Another object of the invention is to provide means of the kind stated which may be used to hold the panels edge to edge at any desired angle with relation to each other.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide avery simple combined key and clamp which may be very cheaply manufactured and which will not have any delicate parts likely to break, but which can be used to exert a powerful traction upon the panels for the purpose of drawing their edge portions into engagement with each other, and which will then form a secure lock to keep them in proper position. The lock provided by this invention is not only a dependable means for securing the panels together but it may be very readily released when it is desired to separate the panels from each other. The clamping and locking device provided by this invention may be applied to a great variety of plates both as to size and character.

Otherobjects, advantages and features of the invention may hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a pre- 55 ferred embodiment of the invention,

1992. Serial No. 599,726

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan viewing the top of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a fragment of the two adjacent panel members showing the same secured together by the device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a pl'an section of a simplified formof the invention, looking at the top of the structure shown in Fig. 5. p

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a fragment of the two adjacent panels showing the same secured together by the simplified form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing and describing first the structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I

with which cooperates the tapered key 11 there:

by providing aclamping device to draw the edge portions of the panels into close engagement with each other, the key then serving as a locking means to detachably maintain said members in this position.

By preference and as shown, the key seat members 9 and 10 are formed as plates which are laid flatwise upon the edge portions of'the panels and aresecured to them by any suitablemeans, as for example, by the bolts or rivets 14. The plate 9 is shown provided with two rebent ears 15 which are carried by the extensions 16; said extensions 16 being spaced apart to receive between them the extension 19 of the plate 10, which in turn is provided at its extremity with a rebent ear 20. The end edge of the extension 19 is cut on a from the surfaces of the plates 9 and 10 to receive the thickness of the key member 11 when the latter is placed in its operative position as shown in Fig. 5. a

The key member 11 is wedge shaped with respect to its breadth and is desirably provided 106 across its wide end with a laterally bent flange 22 which serves as a finger hold to aid the operator in putting the key member in place and which also affords an abutment which may be hammered upon to urge the key more forcibly into its operative position. Asseen in Fig. 5 the key member is shaped as a right-angled tri-angle the hypotenuse of which is formed by the edge 23, the opposite side of the tri-angle being formed by the edge 24. The key member 11 is thereby shaped to cooperate properly with the transversely extending rebent ears and the ear when the latter is bent on the bias as illustrated.

Referring further to the structures shown in 5 Figs. 4 and 5, the plate 10 is shown bent at 10m in order to maintain the panel 8 at an angle with relation to the panel 7 when said panels are secured together by the device. It is often necessary in setting up stage scenery to maintain the assembled panels in angular relation to each other and therefore the invention is shown adapted to this purpose.

The structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 embody substantially the same features as those already described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5 but contains also some additional features which will now be described. In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plates 9a and 10a are respectively provided with hinge extensions and 31, the extension 30 cooperating with a hinge butt 32 to receive the hinge pin 33, and the extension 31 cooperating with the hinge butt 35 to receive the hinge pin 36. The plate9a is secured to a strip 9b and the plate 18a is secured to a strip {102), these strips being of unifori'n width and preferably of uniform size. By this construction it is possible to use the key 11 to secure together the strips 91) and 10b and when this has been done the panel members '7 and 8 may be swung to dif- 3, ferent angles with relation to the remainder of the structure as desired.

The tip portion of the key may be deflected as indicated at 40 in Fig. 3 in order to safeguard the key against accidental removal from the locked position. v

Owing to the tapered character of the key 11, when said key is inserted into the key seats with its pointed end directed downwardly, it functions not only as a securing means, but it also gravi- '12 tates downwardly and automatically takes up any clearance whenever the parts which it holds together vibrate with relation to each other. An anti-rattling device is thus provided which is useful in any situation where vibration takes place between the parts thereby held together.

pivotally secured to the panels by the hinges and are of such a width that when the key element 22 is wedge into place, said strips 9b and 10b are caused to abut forcibly against each other. In order to insure that this takes place the cooperating extension means of the hinges, which are provided with the ears 15 and 20, are of sufficient length to afiord a clearance between their end portions and the adjacent portions of the hinges after the key 22 has been forcibly inserted. This structure insures that when the parts are assembled no crack will remain between the juxtaposed edges of the strips 91) and 101).

We claim:

1. A pair of panels, an edge strip hinged to an edge portion of each panel, the hinges whereby said strips are secured to the panels being provided with extensions which project beyond the free edges of said strips, each of said extensions being provided with a rebent ear thus providing a keyway adapted to form a seat for having fitted thereinto a flattened key, and a flattened wedgeshaped key to fit within the cooperating seats thus provided in such a manner as to draw the strips toward each other and at the same time lock them together to prevent lateral fiection between the strips, said strips being of such width to insure that when the key is wedged into place their free edges are brought into an abutting relation to each other.

2. A pair of panels, an edge strip for each of.

said panels, a hinge securing each of said strips to its panel, the wings of saidhinges being secured to the side faces of said panels and strips, the hinge of each strip and panel being provided with extension means which arepositioned to cooperate with thecompahion hinge there being recent ears provided at the extremities of the hinge extensions thus provided said ears cooperating to form a flattened keyway to receive a flattened wedge-shaped key for the purpose of drawing the free edges of the two strips into an abutting relation to each other and at the same time lock said strips against relative swinging movement.

CLAUDE E. RADER. WALTER L. 'STILES. 

